Retro 51 Coffee Tornado Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

If there's two things that go well together, it's coffee and pens. For most of us, they're two things that we often enjoy at the same time. For the coffee lovers and fans of the Retro 51, you might want to sit down for this little beauty — the Retro 51 Coffee Tornado from Goldspot. This is a collaboration between Goldspot and Retro 51 that turned out beautifully. Like the name implies, this special Tornado is themed with coffee from top to bottom, and even on the packaging.

Let's start with the packaging. I'm not one to normally keep packaging, but I make an exception for interesting Retro 51 tubes. For one, they're tubes and look awesome when displayed together. And, they have some unique and fun custom designs for the special edition pens. This is one of those special editions, and in this case, the packaging matches the aesthetic of the pen perfectly. There's all kinds of coffee lingo on the band, as well as cute coffee symbols and a mug with the Goldspot logo on it. It's a fun logo, and definitely sets the mood for when you open it up.

I've always really enjoyed the presentation of the Retro 51 in the tube when you open it. There it is — standing there in all its glory, ready for you to pick it up and start writing. The furniture is all antique bronze, but the body is the real attraction. The body looks like a burlap bag, but is actually etched metal. It's hard for me to believe that it's actually metal, and half the fun is examining all the little details to figure out exactly what it is. The etched body features the same lingo and symbols as the packaging, and looks fantastic on the pen.

It's worth mentioning that the art and design work for the pen are top-notch. This is high-quality stuff, and it really shows when you're looking at the pen. It sets a mood, and it's a good one. It's not cheesy or goofy, but it's very coffee-shop-esque and comfortable.

The writing experience is, of course, on par with all Retro 51 Tornado pens. If you haven't had the pleasure of writing with one, check out these other reviews of the Metalsmith Franklin, Metalsmith Juliet Heart Tree, 25th Anniversary model, or the standard lacquer version.

I'm a huge lover of coffee and can get really picky about where it's from, how it's roasted, and how it's brewed. The great thing about Tornados is that you always know how they'll write after you own just one. These are so fun to collect, and the Coffee edition from Goldspot is one of my favorites so far.

(Goldspot Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Massdrop Retro 51 Tornado Fountain Pen Custom Edition

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The Retro 51 Tornado fountain pen isn't new, but this Massdrop Custom Edition features a killer body design that you won't find anywhere else.

Look and feel

The Massdrop Custom Edition Retro 51 Tornado Fountain Pen has a striking aesthetic that I happen to find very attractive. I love the herringbone design. The pattern also gives the pen a textured feel, which is nice. Of course, it also includes the signature Retro 51 Tornado trademarks, like the knurled top, labeled band, and clip. This pen screams Retro 51 Tornado, but it's different enough that you won't mistake it for one — it's obviously a fountain pen.

The weight was surprising to me. When you look at the pen, it looks like a completely metal pen. When you pick it up, it weighs less than you'd expect. And, it feels like a third (or maybe even a half) of the weight is taken up in the cap alone. Once you remove the cap, the pen has a very pleasant weight for writing.

Posting this pen can be problematic. For one, it never really feels completely secure. When writing, it feels as though it might slip off at any moment. The other problem, for me at least, is that the pen is way too long for comfortable writing. If you insist on posting your pens, this one isn't for you. For me, I typically always prefer writing without posting, so it fits right in with my existing habits.

Along with the "Retro 51 Tornado" label on the cap band, there's also a three digit number from the limited Massdrop run. This makes the pen collectible as it was a limited edition and each pen was numbered. I'm not sure if Massdrop will ever run this pen again, so it's nice to know where this one stands in the full run.

The clip is very strong, but is designed with a dramatic slope at the end, which makes it easy to slip onto denim pockets, bag slots, and other thicker fabrics. Given the strength of the clip, I'm not worried about the pen slipping out under normal circumstances.

I'm not entirely satisfied with the grip on this pen, as it's made of a light-weight plastic and tends to get slippery when in use. I wouldn't go so far as to say that the grip needs to be metal, but I would say it could use a heavier-weight plastic. It just doesn't feel great, and it detracts a bit from the overall writing experience.

Another downside for me is the feel of the threads on the pen cap. I've noticed that it's incredibly easy to mis-thread the cap when closing the pen. I'm not sure why this is, but I've found it irritating on several occasions. Once you find the correct thread, it screws on very easily. It's just a matter of finding that thread over the other "wrong" threads. It's not the most intuitive thing.

The nib is a Schmidt nib, and it's one of the bigger ones. Given the size of the rest of the pen, the size of the nib fits perfectly. The pen is a cartridge/converter filler, but only a couple of cartridges are included with the pen. Another perk of the size of the pen is that you can fit two international short cartridges in the pen — one to use now, and another spare.

One of my favorite features of the pen, besides the pattern on the body, is the brushed "jewel" on the top of the pen cap. Like all Tornados, this one has a matching jewel, and I love the way it looks in relation to the high-contrast herringbone pattern on the body.

Writing performance

So how does this Schmidt nib do when writing? It does well in most senses.

The particular nib on my pen needed some adjustment before it was ready to go. One of the tines was misaligned, so that was an easy fix. Still, the nib can be a tad scratchy and the "sweet spot" is relatively small. This isn't a huge deal, and it's something I've come to expect with most fountain pens under the $150 range (that don't have "Pilot" in the name...). Despite the sometimes-scratchy nature of the nib, it's an excellent writer.

The flow from this nib is among the best I've used. There's never an issue with starting or skipping, no matter how long it's been stored. It doesn't matter how quickly you write, or how broad and elaborate your strokes are, this nib and feed can keep up with the demand.

It's a steel nib, so there's not much flex or shading, but it can flex a small amount with enough pressure. Even for a steel nib, it's very stiff. I would attribute this to the sheer size of the nib — that's a lot of steel.

It's a great writer despite the scratchy feel it sometimes exhibits. I've used several Schmidt nibs in the past, and this one doesn't disappoint.

Conclusion

The custom edition Retro 51 Tornado by Massdrop is a visually stunning pen made a respected brand — there's a lot to like. Given the nature of Massdrop, they might not go on sale again, but there's always the used market if you're so inclined. And, the ability to stow an extra cartridge in the body of the pen adds a cool factor to this pen that none of my other pens can claim. If you like herringbone patterns, this is a beautiful pen.

(Massdrop provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Retro 51 Tornado - 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Retro 51 — the darling of rollerballs — recently celebrated an important milestone of making great pens for 25 years. I had no idea that my favorite rollerball pen maker was having such a significant anniversary this year, but it's certainly exciting.

To mark the occasion, Retro 51 have released a special edition Tornado. This pen is a beauty to behold and has a couple of premium features that set it apart from other Tornado editions.

The most obvious feature of the pen is the body design. The pattern is a repeating "25" that stand out from the body like a relief sculpture. According to Goldspot, the barrel is acid-etched with the pattern, and then plated with a "stonewashed pewter" finish. Fancy words, but it all adds up to a positive experience when looking at the pen in person.

On top of the barrel finish, the furniture is made of rhodium, which is more shiny than the normal materials used in Tornados.

Along with the shiny material, the top band also includes some extra inscriptions that read "Retro 1951 25th Anniversary Tornado," followed by the unique number of the pen. My only complaint here is that the unique number isn't stamped with the same typeface and color as the rest of the text, but that's a really minor niggle.

The cardboard tube that holds the pen also receives some special branding attention, with a nice logo that indicates the 25th anniversary edition. Also, the same unique number is included on the bottom of the tube for reference. Apart from the branding, the packaging is the same you'd expect with any Tornado.

This really is a beautiful pen, and I'm glad I got to see one in person. If you're a fan of the Retro 51 brand, then this pen is definitely for you. It has a killer design, premium materials, and a limited appeal.

At around $50 for the pen, it's more costly than the standard or metal Tornado models, but it's a special edition and the price is fair for the premium materials and limited nature of the pen.

As far as writing with the pen, it uses the same cartridge we know and love. The raised etching on the body gives the pen a nice grip. I don't mind it at all, but I'm sure some people will prefer a smooth body for writing. Either way, it's still a beautiful limited edition, and I'm sure they'll be gone fast, so act quickly.

Goldspot graciously loaned this pen for the review, so you be sure to check it out and all of the other Retro 51’s they have in stock.